Photos Provided By: Tristan Sommers, Denzil Bilson, Rujan Kafley, and Jordan Alveranga
Tristan Sommers (Story by: Cade Palmer)
Many say there are a lot of great people here at Rangeview and there are a lot of people that stand out– especially in the graduating senior class of 2019. One of these outstanding seniors here at Rangeview High School is Tristan Sommers.
“My favorite things to do at Rangeview is being involved in theatre and in leadership,” said Tristan. “I started playing golf my junior year and loved every minute of it and wished I tried out earlier. My experience at Rangeview has been great. I loved seeing how much the school has changed from my freshman year to now. I’ve met so many people and teachers that helped me get to where I am today.”
Tristan is said to be one of the greatest students in the classroom; he showed that with his impressive 4.376 GPA and the great opportunities he was given for college to study very interesting things.
Tristan voiced his plan for college next year, since he will be graduating later this month. “My plan is to go to University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida. I’m going to study Marine Science/Biology.”
Tristan has touched a number of lives here at Rangeview High School, and many believe he will continue to do that as he moves on from here.
One of Tristan’s closest friends here at Rangeview is student body President, Donovan Storuse who has a very high opinion of this outstanding senior:“Tristan is like a brother to me,” said Donovan. “We have our many fights but I know the moment I need him he’ll always be right there. He always challenges others to be a better person. I’m so happy that Tristan is pursuing a career that he is passionate about.”
Tristan is one of our outstanding seniors, and we wish him well as he moves on from Rangeview High School, on to the next stages of his life.
Rujan Kafley (Story by: Aaron Chapa)
Guidance counselors and teachers alike can’t help but smile when they hear the name Rujan Kafley. His name has become synonymous with success out of hardship and perseverance in the face of adversity, and it’s easy to see why.
Senior Rujan Kafley was born in Jhapa, Goldhap — a refugee camp on the outskirts of Nepal, to which his parents fled to from their homeland in Bhutan due to ethnic cleansing.
Seeking better opportunities overseas, Kafley’s family left Nepal and came to The United States in 2009. He attended Place Bridge Academy during his younger years, and when his family bought a new house, he moved to Mrachek – which would eventually lead him to Rangeview.
When asked about the role Rangeview has played in his successes, including being awarded the Daniels Fund Scholarship and admittance to the University of Colorado at Denver, Kafley said, “Rangeview has been instrumental in that it’s almost a family. I’ve never had such unequivocal success in my life, and in large part it’s because of my teachers and peers.”
This ‘family’ that Kafley describes no doubt appreciates him in the same way, as evidenced by quotes from his teachers.
Teacher Randy Mills said, “[Kafley] gives me inspiration as a teacher, I’ve never met a student who values education as much as he does.”
Kafley is quick to turn the spotlight back on his teachers, however, saying, “I owe a lot of my success to my teachers, and they deserve all the recognition.”
The University of Colorado at Denver is where Kafley plans to turn a full-ride scholarship into a medical career.
“It is because of the efforts of my community and the proper healthcare system that persists at the Children’s Hospital that I am here today,” Kafley says.
Kafley is going into the BA-BS MD program, a pipeline to the medical school program. UC Denver is ranked in the top 20 medical schools in the country.
“I recognize the value of medicine and that’s why I want to pursue it as a career,” Kafley says.
Ms. Pratarelli is another teacher Kafley names as being instrumental to his success, stating, “[Pratarelli] has been very supportive from the first day I walked into her class.”
Despite mentioning Mr. Mills. and Ms. Pratarelli as teachers that helped lead him to a better future, Kafley wanted to make the point that every teacher he had has led him to where he is now.
“I do not think there is one specific teacher that led me to success, because I have had many great teachers over the course of my four years.”
Rujan Kafley came from a country wrought with what he himself describes as “political violence, corruption, economic instability, and a lack of proper education,” and became one of Denver’s rising young stars. Some may say he is an example of making the best of bad circumstances, and he represents the best of what it means to be an outstanding senior.
Denzil Bilson (Story by: Michael Weathersby)
Denzel Bilson, a Rangeview senior has spent much of his high school career outside The United States.
However, despite this, he has found a way to not only make this school his home, but also a bigger, more diverse, and rich environment.
“Rangeview is a nice environment,” explains Denzil. “I’ve recently realized how lucky I am to be in such a diverse community.”
This year being his first and only year here at Rangeview has proven to not a only be a joy but also an unforgettable experience. Upon arriving, Denzil has participated in football, being selected to play varsity despite his initial lack of experience. He is also apart of National Honors Society (NHS).
Denzil has expressed his liking for math, and the type of content it brings forth under the teaching of Mrs. Wetzel. He also enjoys AP lit as it challenges and stimulates his brain to think.
Above all, Denzil’s pursuit in computer engineering and his participation in computer science class has shown to be most impact to his growth.
“[Mr. Petry has] taught me more than I could have known,” Denzil said. “I love that class…”
Showing great skill and achievement in fields such as academics and sports, Denzil has also left a positive impression on others through his expression of character.
“He is just unapologetically himself,” Mrs. Anderson-Dyben describes. “He never changes for anybody and I admire that about him.”
Though Denzil’s journey at Rangeview will end shortly as the senior class prepares to enter the next phase of their lives, Denzil’s legacy will forever be felt and carried on as he continues education at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Jordan Alveranga (Story by: Brian Vasquez)
With the year slowly wrapping up, the underclassmen are ready to go on summer break and return. However, our seniors are ready to close the chapter of life that is high school and are preparing to start a new one. One student that some would say highlights what the class of 2019 is all about would be senior Jordan Alveranga.
“I think my high school career was overall a good experience,” said Alveranga. “…meeting a lot of good people and having a great time.”
Some would agree that high school is never a smooth run — there are ups and downs that occur throughout the four years. Despite this, Alveranga has kept a positive mindset.
Life lessons were also learned. Alveranga stated, “making connections and not having a bias against anyone is the most important thing I learned here.”
Those that have had the experience of getting to know Alveranga agree his learned life lessons reflect through his personality.
“He’s always friendly and always happy,” said his English teacher Ms. Pratarelli. “He always helped the class stay up beat and happy no matter what but also balanced it with his work.”
Alveranga has a game plan already set on studying biology at Colorado State University (CSU) with a pathway of veterinary medicine. He then plans on pursuing veterinary school, and his final goal is to become a vet. It is only a matter of time to see how it will all work out.
The closing of one door and the opening to the next is something that will come to all of the seniors outside of high school. Best of luck to Alveranga as he chases after his dreams.
